Tyler Seddon of Burrillville, R.I., turns 7 years old today, and he’s about get a special visit from area police and fire squads.

Seddon, who has been battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, is especially fond of all things police, fire and military. So Seddon’s parents have asked if area police officers and firefighters would be able to send a birthday card.

But many squads decided they could do better, and have arranged for a large convoy to visit the young boy in his hometown so they can hand-deliver their cards and gifts. First responders throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts will take part, including several groups from the SouthCoast.

Members of the Fall River Fire Department and campus police officers at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth will be among them. The convoy was organized by East Providence, R.I., police Officer Craig Sroka. It’s expected to include more than 250 police cars, at least a dozen emergency vehicles, 16 motorcycles and 85 fire engines.

Seddon will also be sworn in as an honorary colonel of Burrillville police for a day and will receive an East Providence badge, according to Sroka.

“The way it started was I received a text message from a friend, asking is it possible to get cards sent to my cousin’s friend? All he wants for his birthday,” Sroka said. “And of course, I was thinking, we’re not going to mail him cards, we’re going to do better than that.

“Then I started receiving calls. It began as just a couple of cruisers ... Before you knew it, it started snowballing,” Sroka said. Lights on police cruisers will flash and a fife and drum group will perform.

The motorcade grew too large to greet Tyler at his home, so it will take place at Wright’s Farm Restaurant in Harrisville. Wright’s Farm has a parking lot large enough for all of the vehicles.

No one has told the seven-year-old-to-be about the plans, Sroka said. “He has no idea.”

“You don’t get many of these opportunities,” said UMass Dartmouth campus police Chief Emil Fioravanti, when reached on Wednesday. “This is a seven-year-old boy. If this is going to make him happy, it’s something we take pleasure in doing.”

Fall River police won’t be traveling with the convoy, but will send over a card with several officers’ signatures and a sweatshirt emblazoned with the Fall River Police Department logo, Lt. Kevin Tetrault said.

Page 2 of 2 - Seddon is awaiting a much-needed bone marrow transplant and has been receiving chemotherapy treatments until a match can be found. The hashtag “#tylerstroops” trended on Twitter throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, as local law enforcement officials and firefighters announced their participation. Police departments as far away as Los Angeles posted messages on social media, wishing Seddon a happy birthday.